THE lights went out for Silsden in their Hallmark Security League Premier Division clash at Squires Gate in Blackpool, with the game abandoned on 39 minutes after the floodlights failed.

Saturday's clash was Silsden's fifth consecutive away game and it began in a howling gale in the shape of Storm Deirdre.

The fans who were at the game were huddled under the main stand as the game kicked off and the strong wind and rain made it difficult to judge the pace of the ball, even if both sides produced some attractive football.

Mark Everingham and Aidan Kirby replaced Chris Wademan and Joe Gaughan in Silsden's only changes to the starting line up.

Dan Illingworth was the first player to be caught out by the wind. Attempting to head clear, the ball fell to Gate’s Rick Seear but he shot wide.

Joe Mitchell won a challenge in midfield but the ball spun back to keeper Callum Jakovlevs, who aimed to find Matty Moses with his clearance. The wind caught the ball and Gate broke down the right, but the cross ended up on the roof of the net.

Silsden’s first shot came from Niall Sultan but Dean Ing headed clear. The visitors then almost took the lead when Kirby broke down the right and crossed to Everingham, but the wide man’s shot hit the side netting.

Two minutes later, Seear cut in from the right and curled the ball into the Silsden net to give the hosts an early lead.

The Squires Gate players generally struggled to judge the wind though. Twice Ryan Charnley put too much on his shots and they sailed over the bar, before Joe Booth’s free kick met a similar fate.

Silsden then attacked up the right, but Sultan’s cross from the byline ended up travelling towards the halfway line.

Mitchell was holding the midfield together and Kirby was causing problems for the home defence. One smart move ended with Craig Bentham shooting over the Gate crossbar.

A superb tackle by Moses allowed Luke Rhodes to set up another attack but then the lights went out.

After a delay of fifteen minutes, the game was eventually called off. The wind picked up, the rain intensified and even Blackpool Tower seemed to bend in the gale-force conditions.

Silsden's fans enjoyed the Gate hospitality before driving home in atrocious conditions. They will hope for better weather when

they travel to Ashton Athletic on Saturday, before entertaining Barnoldswick Town on Boxing Day at 3pm.